Dying while Adhering to the Sunnah.

From Mu’tamar bin Sulayman رحمه الله who said:

‘I visited my father while I was heartbroken and he said: ‘What is wrong?’

I said: ‘My friend has died.’

He asked: ‘Did he die upon the Sunnah?’

I answered: ‘Yes.’

He said: ‘Then do not worry about him.’

[Al-Laalkaa'iee 1/67/61]

Imam Malik ibn Anas رحمه الله (d. 179 A.H.)  said:

‘If a person meets Allaah with the equivalent of the earth in sins, but meets[1] Allaah while upon the Sunnah, then he will be in Paradise with the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, the righteous and how excellent are these companions.’

[Dhum al-Kalam wa Ahlihi 5/76-77]

Imam Ahmad رحمه الله (d. 241 A.H.) said:

‘Whoever died upon Islaam and the Sunnah then he has died upon all goodness.’

[Seer Alaam an-Nubala (11/296)]

Yahya bin Jafar رحمه الله said:

‘If I had the capability to increase the age of Muhammad bin Ismaeel -i.e. al-Bukhari- taken from my age I would have done so, since indeed my death is the death of one man, but his death was the going away of knowledge.’

[Tareekh al-Baghdad 2/24]

Hasan Basri رحمه الله who said:

‘O Ahl-ul- Sunnah be gentle may, Allaah have mercy on you since indeed you are from the fewest in number.’

[Al-Laalkaa'iee 1/57/19]

Ayoob رحمه الله said:

‘Indeed I am informed of the death of a man from Ahl-ul-Sunnah and it is as if I have lost a limb.’

[Al-Laalkaa'iee 1/60/29 & Hileeyah 3/9]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree رحمه الله who said :

‘Show concern for the Ahl-ul-Sunnah with goodness since indeed they are the Ghuraba.’

[Al-Laalkaa'iee 1/64/49]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree رحمه الله who said:

‘If it is conveyed to you that there is a man in the east who is a man upon the Sunnah and another in the west then send Salam to them, with gentleness to them, since the Ahl-ul-Sunnah are few.’

[Al-Laalkaa'iee 1/64/50]

Imaam Ahmad رحمه الله said at the end of his letter which he sent to Imam Musadad bin Musarhad رحمه الله:

‘Love the Ahl-ul-Sunnah for what is with them. May Allaah cause us and you to die upon the Sunnah wal Jammah, may Allaah grant us and you to follow knowledge. May Allaah give us and you success in that which He loves and is pleased with.’

[Tabaqat al-Hanabilah 1/345]